Business Bites Resources: 6 Steps To Building Your Brand

Building a brand is key to the success of a food business—even for small brands just starting out. A strong brand identity will help differentiate you from the competition, creating an experience that encourages customer engagement and effectively communicates your company message to consumers.

To learn more about how to create a brand identity & strategy, ICC’s Food Business Fundamentals program invited Alex Ostroff, Founder and Creative Director of Saint Urbain, for a Business Bites workshop open to students & alumni. With clients like Black Seed Bagels, Chip, and Seamore’s, the Saint Urbain team are behind some of NYC’s most unique and memorable food brands.

During the workshop, Ostroff gave us the inside scoop into how brand building begins for a successful restaurant concept: it’s all about creating a name, symbol and design that sets your business apart from the rest. But, there’s a lot that goes into taking that from concept to activation in order to build a lasting brand.

Below, see what Ostroff recommends as his 6 steps to building your food business brand!

Develop Your Brand Identity

Start by thinking about your brand from a high-level perspective. Recognize your competitors and what it is that you like or dislike about what they do. Understand who your customer is, and what their needs are. These will inform your goals for the brand.

Brainstorm Keywords

This is where you want to brainstorm keywords to describe your brand. Are you a modern, fun and hip gastro-pub? Are you a traditional, homey and wholesome café? These keywords will help to guide the overall vision and feel of your business.

Research and Narrow Down

Dive deeper into what your competitors are doing—what is it that you have to do to gain their market-share? Identify the opportunities that you have and what gap you’re filling in the marketplace. Then, identify any challenges that you will have to overcome. Narrow your research into visual possibilities and specific strategies that you can incorporate into your business.

Pick a Strategy

Now that you’ve done your research, figure out which of the strategies will work for your business. Your strategy will inform how you’ll go after your target market and will inform your long-term goals for your brand. Turn this into a solution for your brand. Create the identity of your food business based on your unique point of view and the need you’re filling for your target market.

Design is Key

Once you’ve selected your brand strategy, design or enlist the help of a graphic designer to create a comprehensive visual language that will communicate your brand look and feel. Do you want muted colors to play off of the space that your food business is in? Does your brand have loud colors to accentuate your flavorful food? Remember—customers eat with their eyes first, so not only do you want your food to look beautiful, you want your concept, and the elements that go along with it, to look beautiful too.

Time to Activate

Expand your design to craft your brand experience! Start with your logo and color palette, then create visuals to go with your brand. Will you be selling coffee and in need of to-go cups with your logo on them? How about the take-out bags for food, menu design and other key items that you want to create? Everything should go together and give a cohesive look to the business. You’ll want to play to your strengths to create a fun and memorable brand experience that will encourage your customers to return time and again!

Ready to get started on the business plan for your restaurant, food truck, food product or other dream culinary concept? Register for ICC’s Food Business Fundamentals course starting September 14th, and you’ll have a solid business plan & pitch ready in just 6 weeks! Click here to learn more.

ABOUT BUSINESS BITES

The BUSINESS BITES, brought to you by the Food Business Fundamentals program at ICC, is a series of workshops, discussion panels, networking events and resources designed to support entrepreneurs in the food industry.

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